Irvington cops seize pot shipment

IRVINGTON -- Law enforcement in Irvington took delivery of a 15-pound bundle of high-quality marijuana yesterday afternoon and arrested its intended middle man, a waiting cab driver, police said.

Police had been alerted to the shipment by authorities in Arizona, from where it was sent.

The tightly wrapped package was being delivered via FedEx truck to the waiting taxi driver, at
38th Street near the corner of Wagner Place, police said. Officers swooped down to intercept the delivery about 2:30, Lt. Michael Tomich said.

The 53-year-old driver, Ronald Richardson, who had signed for the delivery, fled and dropped the package. He was apprehended on South Durand Place after a short foot chase, Tomich said.

"Along with surveillance and some basic detective work, we were able to track the package and determine that it was supposed to be delivered today," he said. "We did a pretty long stakeout."

Township police were assisted by an anti-gang task force of officers from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and State Police.

Police were trying to determine its final destination. They believe that Richardson was likely enlisted as just a courier.

"It's certainly not the innocent cab driver who doesn't know what's going on," Tomich said. "No one pays you to pick up a package for a couple hundred dollars."

High-grade marijuana can fetch up to $20 a gram on the street. The grass is thought to have been grown in Mexico, Tomich said. "This is not dime-store stuff," he said. "This is cartel-type stuff."